Grant optimistic about new contract

Green Bay - Running back Ryan Grant was relegated to the role of spectator during this morning's voluntary off-season practice, and that won't change until he gets a new contract.

But Grant said he feels progress has been made and he expects a deal to be done by training camp.

'I'd say that things are going good,' Grant said. 'We're on track.

'There's good communication. I'm here, so that means that there's very good communication. I'm taking care of my part. Everything else is between my agent and upstairs.'

Grant, who rushed for 956 yards as the primary rusher in 10 games last season, has declined to sign his $370,000 one-year tender as an exclusive rights free agent in hopes of getting a new deal. As a result, he can't participate in practice. However, Grant has been working out and attending meetings.

'He is getting himself ready to play,' said coach Mike McCarthy. 'Would I like him out there witheverybody else? Absolutely, but he's not under contract right now, soit's clearly a business decision.'

With just one year service time, Grant has no leverage. He won't become an unrestricted free agent until after the 2010 season -- and that might even be pushed back under a new collective bargaining agreement.

The Packers have shown a willingness to take care of productive players if they play the part of good soldier, which makes Grant's stance somewhat puzzling.

'I just felt like it was in my best situation to handle it this way and I think both sides feel that I'm going about it in the correct way,' Grant said. 'I'm trying to do it the right way, I'm not trying to go about it in any type of so-called wrong way. I'm just trying to take care of what I can take care of.'

He does think a new deal will be done so he doesn't miss any part of training camp.

'Yeah, I do,' Grant said. 'I don't have a timetable. There's no timetable in that sense. I'm just trying to do my part to make sure that I'm taking part in what I can.

'There's no unhappiness, there's no hard feelings or anything like that. It's just the business aspect.'